---
The massive energy surge at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters didn't go unnoticed by S.H.I.E.L.D.
By the time the Avengers arrived, however, the main battle had already moved to another location.
Still, it wasn't a wasted trip.
Psylocke and the rest of the Hellfire Club's inner circle—known as the Hellfire Seven—were still locked in a standoff with the X-Men.
The arrival of the Avengers shattered that balance.
"Avengers, assemble!" Captain America's voice rang out, and the team charged into battle.
Having worked alongside the X-Men before, the Avengers easily recognized who the enemy was.
Black Widow and Hawkeye, both in tactical gear, opened fire first—one with laser stun rounds, the other with precision arrows.
Captain America followed fast, charging like a thunderbolt. He hurled his vibranium shield straight at the Black Bishop, one of the Hellfire Seven.
BOOM!
The shield hit with the force of a missile, blasting back the Black Bishop and knocking his cloak to shreds.
What followed was a direct melee between the two—Captain America holding his own with surprising strength and tenacity.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Iron Man faced off against the Black King.
But Tony Stark quickly realized he was at a disadvantage. The Black King could absorb energy-based attacks, nullifying Iron Man's primary arsenal.
Tony didn't waste time.
"Peter!" he called through the comms. "This guy absorbs energy. He's yours!"
Across the field, Spider-Man was helping the wounded. At Tony's call, he leapt into action.
Wearing his upgraded carbon-fiber suit, Peter launched a webline and zipped into the air. In seconds, he was above the Black King, spraying industrial-strength webbing across the villain's body.
Thick strands of reinforced spider silk wrapped tightly around him, locking him down. The Black King struggled, but Peter's webs were stronger than titanium.
Iron Man, now free from that fight, redirected his attention toward Psylocke.
Meanwhile, the X-Men regrouped.
Storm joined the fray, working alongside Iron Man. With her weather manipulation and his tech, their teamwork put Psylocke under serious pressure.
Even with mystical power rivaling that of the Sorcerer Supreme, Psylocke struggled to keep up.
Then came a surprise addition to the battle.
A silver figure, armored and wearing a cape, entered the field.
It wasn't Vision—but it resembled Ultron.
It was J.A.R.V.I.S.—Tony Stark's original A.I.—now upgraded into a fully independent synthetic warrior.
Because the Mind Stone never appeared on Earth in this timeline, Vision was never created. Instead, J.A.R.V.I.S. had been enhanced repeatedly by Tony, eventually evolving into a next-generation super-intelligence.
With a custom-built armored suit and unmatched processing power, J.A.R.V.I.S. had become a force to rival even Ultron.
---
Now, with the Avengers and the X-Men working together, the tide turned quickly.
The Hellfire Seven, despite their abilities, were overwhelmed by sheer numbers and coordination.
Psylocke glanced up at the sky—at the second "sun" that still glowed red and blinding above the Earth.
Though frustrated, she knew the battle was lost.
"Retreat!" she ordered.
To cover their escape, the Black King released all his stored energy in a massive blast—an explosion that lit up the battlefield like a miniature nuke.
When the smoke cleared, the Hellfire Seven were gone, having escaped through a portal created by Psylocke.
The battle was over.
---
But the school was in ruins.
What was once a beautiful estate had been reduced to scorched rubble. The mansion was nearly unrecognizable.
Yet, despite the devastation, the X-Men had reclaimed their morale. They stood tall again.
Professor Charles Xavier rolled his wheelchair forward to meet the Avengers.
"Thank you for your help," he said. "The X-Men will never forget this."
Captain America placed a hand on Charles' shoulder.
"We're all on the same side. If you need help rebuilding, we're here for you."
But not everyone was so quick to celebrate.
Hawkeye stood quietly, eyes narrowed as he looked up at the sky.
The second sun now glowed brighter than the real one.
"I wouldn't say it's over just yet," Clint said grimly.
---